This invention relates to an apparatus and method for removing a stopper from a bottle and more particularly to an apparatus and method for removing broken corks from wine bottles.
It is frequently the case that a stopper, particularly a cork stopper, becomes broken during the process of removing it from a bottle. Once the cork has been broken off, it can be difficult to remove the remainder of the stopper from the bottle and removal attempts often result in the lower part of the cork being forced into the bottle. In other situations, the cork may remain whole, but may be forced into the bottle interior and be left floating. Once inside the bottle, the cork is resistant to attempts to retrieve it.
While a floating cork is simply a nuisance in many situations, if a cork is broken or forced into the bottle interior during removal from a relatively expensive bottle of wine, it is unlikely that a restaurant will be able to sell the wine profitably since such wines are typically sold or served by the bottle.